Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in New Jersey will exhibit paintings, sculpture, photographs and fiber work at the Maplewood Arts Center located at 1978 Springfield Avenue in Maplewood with a reception for the artists and the public on Saturday, April 2, 2005, from 2:00 until 5:00 at the gallery



Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in New Jersey will exhibit paintings, sculpture, photographs and fiber work at the Maplewood Arts Center located at 1978 Springfield Avenue in Maplewood with a reception for the artists and the public on Saturday, April 2, 2005, from 2:00 until 5:00 at the gallery

CULTURE SHOCK
Opens at 1978 Maplewood Arts Center April 2, 2005

Opening reception April 2, 2005 2-5 PM, and closing celebration with panel discussion April 24, 2005 3-5 PM

-RETURN PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS EXHIBIT WORK
INFLUENCED BY THEIR EXPERIENCES VOLUNTEERING ABROAD.

1978 Maplewood Arts Center will present an exhibition of paintings, sculpture, photographs and fiber work by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers during the month of April. 1978 Maplewood Arts Center is located at 1978 Springfield Avenue in Maplewood will open the show with a reception for the artists and the public on Saturday, April 2, 2005, from 2:00 until 5:00 at the gallery.

The exhibition, organized and curated by former Peace Corps Volunteer Adam Swart, Nepal 2001-2004, and Chuck Miley, Malaysia 1967-1969, will showcase eight artists who are RPCVs, (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers).
Paintings by Frances Duckett of Roosevelt , NJ, explore the lushness of her experience in Jamaica. The paintings of Pat Chapman of Somerset, NJ, celebrate the color and atmosphere of daily life she experienced in the Philippines. Adam Swart, formerly of Somerset, reflects on the close bonds he formed with his elementary school students in his intimate gemlike miniatures. Sculptor, Bernie Oberoski's works attempt to portray the diversity of languages of New Guinea, where he and his wife served from 1999-2001. Fiber artist, Bette McCarron of Ocean City, spent her service in Granada where she was the National Coordinator of Arts and Crafts. She has developed weaving rich in patterns and textures. Photographers, Kelly McNeal, Africa, and Suzanne Randall, Samoa and Tonga, will display images of daily life in their adopted communities. Suzanne Randall includes photos of New Zeland where she traveled with the National Samoan Woman's rugby team. Chuck Miley objects reflect his fascination of rites and rituals he observed while serving in Sarawak, Malaysia, and in his travels in Indonesia and Nepal. His resin forms contain found objects and suggest prayer wheels and funerary urns.

March and April is the time in which the Peace Corps tries to raise awareness of the work performed by its volunteers abroad. New Jersey boasts of more than 4400 returned Peace Corps Volunteer. There will be a round table discussion dealing with the personal Peace Corps experiences of these artist/volunteers and how it changed their lives. The panel discussion will be a part of a closing celebration on the final Sunday, April 24, 2005, 3-5 PM.

The exhibition will run from Saturday, April 2, to Sunday, April 24. The gallery hours are 2-5 PM Saturday and Sunday and by appointment. For information or an appointment call 973-762-2268.

When this story was posted in March 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

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RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC RPCVs Sam Farr, Chris Shays, Thomas Petri, James Walsh, and Mike Honda have asked their colleagues in Congress to add their names to a letter they have written to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, asking for full funding of $345 M for the Peace Corps in 2006. As a follow-on to Peace Corps week, please read the letter and call your Representative in Congress and ask him or her to add their name to the letter.

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Add your info now to the RPCV Directory Call Harris Publishing at 800-414-4608 right away to add your name or make changes to your listing in the newest edition of the NPCA's Directory of Peace Corps Volunteers and Former Staff. Then read our story on how you can get access to the book after it is published. The deadline for inclusion is May 16 so call now.

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March 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories The Coyne Column: Read Winning Essay by PCV 12 Mar Laura Germino helps Migrant Workers Advocacy Group 12 Mar Sam Farr impresses medical-pot advocacy group 11 Mar Fred O'Regan writes Op-Ed on Canada seal hunt 11 Mar Fern Holland remembered In Oklahoma 10 Mar Mountaineer Charles Houston receives honorary degree 10 Mar Elaine Chao led delegation for President's inauguration 10 Mar Chris Dodd wins Hispanic Capital Award 9 Mar Pat Waak is new Colorado Democratic Party Chair 9 Mar Chris Matthews withdraws from Florida Event 9 Mar Timothy J. O'Brien returns to Korea 8 Mar Tomas Belsky's paintings inspired by service in Brazil 7 Mar Christopher Hill to be Assistant Secretary of State 7 Mar Allen Moore is Sen Frist's Deputy Chief of Staff 7 Mar Jim Doyle heads trade delegation to Mexico 5 Mar Al Kamen says Narcissus Is Now Greek AND Roman 4 Mar Diana Gomez says to do something about Peace 4 Mar

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March 12, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News San Diego RPCVs host reception with Gaddi Vasquez on March 6 4 Mar Alaska RPCVs speak for dividend 4 Mar Western North Carolina's RPCVs sponsor Africa Night on March 6 3 Mar Maryland RPCVs lobby their Senators for Peace Corps 3 Mar Connecticut RPCVs hold fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar Charles Baquet speaks at Louisiana PC Breakfast on March 4 28 Feb RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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March 1: National Day of Action Tuesday, March 1, is the NPCA's National Day of Action. Please call your Senators and ask them to support the President's proposed $27 Million budget increase for the Peace Corps for FY2006 and ask them to oppose the elimination of Perkins loans that benefit Peace Corps volunteers from low-income backgrounds. Follow this link for step-by-step information on how to make your calls. Then take our poll and leave feedback on how the calls went.

Make a call for the Peace Corps PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.

Peace Corps Calendar: Tempest in a Teapot? Bulgarian writer Ognyan Georgiev has written a story which has made the front page of the newspaper "Telegraf" criticizing the photo selection for his country in the 2005 "Peace Corps Calendar" published by RPCVs of Madison, Wisconsin. RPCV Betsy Sergeant Snow, who submitted the photograph for the calendar, has published her reply. Read the stories and leave your comments.

WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service.

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

Read the stories and leave your comments.